Library Services, Resources, Student Author

Healey Library Hacks: Unlocking Hidden Treasures – Databases Edition

Table of Contents:

Introduction

Databases

Summary

Introduction

Welcome to “Healey Library Hacks: Unlocking Hidden Treasures – Databases Edition “! If you’ve been curious about what databases Healey Library offers students, faculty and staff, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog post, we’ll highlight 9 out of the 351 library databases recommended by our library staff for research foci that align with School for the Environment. These resources are designed to enhance your teaching, studies, and research endeavors. While we’ll be using examples of how these databases could benefit those in the School for the Environment, these databases are multidisciplinary tools that can be used to fit the research needs of any college or major. 

Databases

ProQuest 

As seen above, get access to popular newspapers like The Economist on ProQuest.

ProQuest is a comprehensive research database that provides access to thousands of full-text scholarly journals as well as newspapers, magazines, dissertations, and more.

Science Direct  

As seen above, type in keywords such as “Asian Shore Crabs” and get access to up to date research, even as recent as this year (2024).

The Science Direct database provides credible and up-to-date research that covers a broad range of disciplines with an emphasis on scientific, technical, and medical research.  



JSTOR 

As seen above, type in keywords related to your research interests to get access to older materials like the journal article seen above from 1994.

JSTOR provides access to current and older journal articles and e-books across various disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, and some natural sciences. 


ScholarWorks 

As seen above, browse academic papers, theses, dissertations, and other scholarly publications published by faculty and students by departments, majors, etc.


ScholarWorks offers access to a wide range of scholarly works produced by the university’s faculty, researchers, and students.  


Browzine 

As seen above, access thousands of journals collections like Nature.

BrowZine contains an extensive collection of current scholarly journals from multiple publishers in one place. Create an account and stay up-to date by getting notifications from your virtual bookshelf.

Kanopy 

As seen above, find movies and documentaries that fit your interests.

Kanopy serves as a streaming video provider. It offers a wide selection of documentaries and popular films. 


PolicyMap 

As seen above, PolicyMap can visualize data depending on your needs.

PolicyMap provides access to a wide range of demographic, economic, and social data, which can be easily visualized and analyzed using tools provided by the platform itself. 

Social Explorer 

As seen above, Social Explorer provides data that can be analyzed using maps.

Social Explorer has a user-friendly interface, extensive data visualization, and comprehensive data sets based on the U.S Census.



Brill Climate Change and Law Collection 

As seen above, BRILL provides access legal aspects and policies related to climate change.

The Climate Change and Law Collection database concentrates solely on legal aspects and policies related to climate change, providing specific and detailed information in this area. 

Summary

Healey Library offers a multitude of databases that can greatly benefit students, faculty and staff. Here’s a brief overview of the databases covered: 

  • ProQuest is user-friendly and frequently recommended by Healey librarians to freshmen and sophomores who are beginning their research process.  It includes thousands of full-text scholarly journals, newspapers, magazines, dissertations, and more.

  • Science Direct provides credible, up-to-date research on a broad range of disciplines. For example, this database can be helpful for researchers interested in ecology or animal populations and looking to find the most up-to-date research.  

  • JSTOR focuses on providing access to current and older journal articles and e-books across various disciplines. This database, for example, can be beneficial for students researching long-term ecological trends.  

  • ScholarWorks provides free and open access to academic papers, theses, dissertations, and other scholarly publications published by faculty and students all across campus. This resource can be especially helpful for grad students as a reference for their own dissertations or thesis as it organizes its contents by colleges, departments, etc. 

  • Browzine allows students and faculty to easily browse, read, and organize journals by subject. For example, making it simple to find top-tier environmental science publications for those interested in environmental sciences. 

  • Kanopy is recommended as an additional tool for faculty and students looking for video content. For example, Kanopy has a wide collection of environmentally oriented films such as the Green Planet collection, that faculty in the School for the Environment will find interesting. 

  • PolicyMap provides access to a wide range of demographic, economic, and social data. For example, this database can be useful for those in Geographical Information System (ENVSCI 281) or Statistics for the Environment (ENVSCI 261) courses. 

  • Social Explorer serves as an alternative to the U.S. Census database that makes it easier for students to navigate and understand statistical information. 

  • Brill Climate Change and Law Collection provides detailed, relevant information on legal aspects and policies related to climate change.

By exploring these resources recommended by our library staff, you can enhance your teaching, deepen your studies, and advance your research. We hope this guide has provided valuable insights and inspired you to make the most of the resources available to you at Healey Library. Happy exploring!